Improvement in alarm-faucets



N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

i'nted- Quatre ttwt amm,

Lette/rs .Patent No. 97 ,594, dated December 7, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN ALARM-FAUCETS.

' The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same. I.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

` Beit known that I, THOMAS M. BIDDLE, of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen, and State of Indiana,

have invented a new and improved Alarm-Faucet; and

`I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art toniake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying` drawings, .forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a vertical transverse section of my improved alarm-faucet.

Figure 2 is a front view, partly in section, of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention has for its object to 'provide means forautomatically arresting the flow of liquid matter oi'snitable kind, when the receptacle is iilledto the requisite height.

`For this purpose, I have provided a float, which, when supported on the liquid will act on a section of the faucet, so as to prevent the further iiow of liquid through the same. At the same time, an alarm-bell may he connected with the apparatus, ior giving notice to the attendant of the interrupted flow.

In cellars, where numbers of barrels have to be. filled, this device will be particularly convenient and useful, as the overflow and loss of much valuable liquor are thereby prevented.

A, in the drawing, represents the faucet, through which the liquor is-to be drawn from a tank or cask, B, of suitable kind.

It is provided with acock, a, as shown.

Upon the end ot' the faucet is screwed a plate, C, which hasr an aperture, l), directly ,in line with the open end of the faucet.

To the plate C is pivoted a U-shaped tube, D, which has its lower end swivelled in a part of the plate, while its upper open end can he brought in line with the aperture b and faucet, as in fig. I.

In this position the liquor will, when the cock a is opened, flow through the faucet, and through the pipe I), into a pipe, E, which is in contact with the pipe D, as shown.

The liqudr will lthence flow into a funnel, F, which is inserted in the bung-hole of the barrel G, or other receptacle for the liquor.

On the shank 'of the funnel is a collar 0r ring, H, up-andfdown adjustable, and fastened by a set-screw, c, at any height. Its object is to adapt the device to barrels of different thickness of material.

Onone side oi' the funnel is, in a barrel, d, arranged a coiled spring, c, which is attached with one end" to the barrel, and with the other to a central shaft, j'.

On the shaft is mounted a lever, g, which can be locked in the position show'n in fig. 2, by a springcatch, h. rIhis catch is pivoted to the funnel, as

shown.

' I is a lioat, made of sheet-metal or other suitable material, and suspendedby a pivot, t', from the funnel.

An arm, j, projecting beyond the pivot t', is, by a.

rod, k, connected with the catch Il..

\Vhen the float is suspended, as in the drawing, its arm j is inline with the rod 7.',and the catch is thereby caused to project far enough to retain the lever q in the position shown.

As soon as the liquor rises in the barrel, so that it reaches the iioat, it will gradually swing the float into a horizontal position, and thereby pull o n the rod, so

as to withdraw the catch h..

lhe lever q is then-liberated, and is, by the spring e, swung around until the end, formerly held by the catch h, strikes a fixed stop, I, opposite to It.

By this motion of the leverg, the tube I) is carried around to be disconnected from the faucet.

On the tube is formed a sideward-prqiecting plate, m, which has a groove or slot, as in tig. 2.

In a plate, J, which is fastened to U, to enclose I), is arranged an arbor, a, which has a crank, o, fitted into the slot o1' groove of on, while another crank or arm, 1), is, by a chain, r, to he connected with the lever g.

When the lever g is, by the :iinementioned action, carried around, it pulls the chain lr, andthereby swings the arbor n, and with it the tube I).

The latter swin gs ou its lower end, and has its upper end carried away from the faucet, its plate m closing the end ot' the faucet, and preventing` further escape of liquor. Y

On the plate m may also' be formed a hammer, L, which', when the faucet is automatimtllv` closed, as aforesaid, will strike against a bell, M', that is sup ported on the plate U. This bell-attachment may, however, he omitted.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The funnel, p rovided with a ilo-at, which, when raised, serves to close the faucet, through which the liquor ilows into said funnel, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. rIhe combination of the iioat I, rod K, lever h, rod g, chain fr, shaft n, and hammer L, arranged and operating as described, to strike the bell M, as set forth.

3. The swinging tube I), arranged on the plate C, which is suspended from a supplyaucet or tube, substantially asherein shown and described.

4. The arbor n, having the cranks 0 and p, and connected with the pivoted .tube I), when combined with the lever g, catch h, spring e, and ioat I ofthe funnel, Substantially as herein shown and described.

THOS. M. BIDDLE.

Witnesses:

Bnlrron PoULsoN, W. E. Gor'rrNeHAM. 

